therrien



Feb. 3, 1931. A. J. THERRIEN 1,790,882

BRICK KILN AND METHOD OF BURNING Original Filed Jan. 23. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 (A v QQ Feb. 3, 1931. A. J. THr-:RRIEN 1,790,882

BRICK KILN AND METHOD OF BURNING:

Original Filed Jan. 25. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 45 WWW/7W 36g# mi?? Patented Feb. 3, 1931 UNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTHUR J. 'IHERRIEN, OF NORTHBROOK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL BRICK COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 0F ILLINOIS BRICK KILN AND METHOD OF BURNING Original application filed January 23, 1926, Serial No, 83,342. Divided and this application filed February S, 1929. Serial No. 338,374.

My invention relates to the manufacture of bricks, and has to do more particularly with the construction of the kiln and the burning of thebricks. By a process now in use, the green bricks as they come from the forming machine are piled on cars intosolid unit piles containing approximately one thousand bricks each, the bottom layer of 'the'bricks being spaced in such manner that a mechanically operated power fork is able to lift the pile bodily and transfer it to its position in a kiln.

Heretofore it has been the practice to place the bottom layer of unit piles in rows across a kiln, with the rows separated from each other by a space equal to approximately onehalf the width of the unit piles, a usualarrangement being that in which the unit piles are four brick-lengths in width and in which the rows are separated by spaces twobricklengths in width.

After the placing of the unit piles in this arrangement by a power fork, it is necessary for a gang of workmen, equipped with the necessary eXtra unburned bricks, to reposition by hand a comparatively large proportion of the bricks on opposite sides of the spaces between rows for arching over such spaces so that the neXt succeeding layer of unit piles may be supported by the spaced piles and the arches, the arched spaces or tunnels being utilized for applying the heat for burning the unburned bricks, all as is well understood in the art.

It is one of the principal objects of my invention to provide a kiln so constructed as to provide tunnels therein of comparatively small cross area, that is, of comparatively small volume. Y

It is another object of my invention to improve the arrangement of the unburned bricks in a kiln and the arrangement of the unit piles and arched tunnels so that the burning of the bricks may be elfected to better advantagaparticularly by reason of the fact that the distance between the'successive nozzles by which the heat is applied to the tunnels` is decreasedv so that it is not necessary for the heat to spread laterallyso far from each nozzle.

It is another object of, my invention to provide a new arrangement of parts by reason of which the turning of the arches manually to the slight extent still necessary in the practice of my improved invention may be edected much more easily and expeditiously than has heretofore been possib-le.

According to the preferred method of practicing my invention, the arches are formed in the hacks which are built directly upon the transfer cars. These cars are `pref-y erably of the same general construction as the car disclosed in my co-pending application for method of and means for manu-- facturing bricks, Serial No. 281,018, filed May 28, 1928, which has become Patent 1,773,827. In this manner nearly all of the arches are formed withonly one handling of the bricks, whereas, in the previous methods, the bricks were hacked in spaced piles, and then the piles were rebuilt and additional bricks supplied to form the arches over the tops of the tunnels. Theconstruction 'of a kiln according to my invention with arches of only one brick length in width, is wholly new and has been found to have inherent advantages that mark my method of piling and burning as a striking advance in thevb-rick making industry, inasmuch as the. cost of making the brick is greatly reduced and the brick is more perfectly burned, especially at the sides of the fire tunnels` It is another object of my invention tol improve in sundry details the method of making bricks as will be appreciated by reference to the accompanying drawings and the description thereof as hereinafter set forth.

That which I believe to be new and desire to cover by Letters Patent is set forth inV the claims. Y

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a side View, more or less diagrammatic, showing the arrangement ofa unit pile of unburned bricks upon a car;

Fig. 2 is a side view of a power fork adapted for handling a unit pile of unburned bricks such as that shown on the car in Fig- 1, the upper end of the fork mechanism being shown in vertical section .at the middle of the table Fig.

fork for better illustrating the turn- 3 is a fragmentary view, being a sectional view taken on line 3--3 of 2;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the bottom layer of unit piles of unburned bricks in position in a section of a kiln, with a partial showing of the second layer of unit piles, and a showing at one corner of a third layer of unit piles;v

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view showing a solid unit pile of unburned bricks in place in the middle portion of the kiln, with parts of two other unit piles adjacent thereto, the partial closing of the tunnel between two of the piles having been completed preliminary to the placing of the succeeding layer of unit piles thereon, while only a portion of the bricks have been repositioned for partially closing the space between the central pile and the third pile;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail -view for illustrating the arched tunnels at the middle portion of the kiln, being substantia ly a section taken at line 6 6 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 'I' is a top plan view of a fragmentary portion of the bot-tom layer of unit piles in a kiln illustrating diagrammatically an alternative method of placing such piles.

rlhis application is a division of my copending application for process of making bricks, Serial No. 83,342, filed January 23, 1926, which has become Patent 1,757 ,'.7 86.

The preliminaryT step in the practice of my invention in its preferred form comprises hacking the green bricks as they come from the brick machine, or the forming inachine, into unit piles upon cars such as the car illustrated in Fig. 1 having supporting wheels 16 thereon and having standards 1T at its opposite ends. ln the unit pile as illustrated in Fig. 1, all of the green bricks are placed on edge throughout the pile in slightly spaced relation so that the combustion gases can pass therebetween. The bottoni` two layers of bricks are arranged in spaced relation to provide openings for the entrance of the tines of a power fork, the unit pile illustrated in Fig. 1 being provided for a power fork having fourteen of such tines in equally spaced relation from one side of the fork to the other side. rlhe brfcks in the bottom layer are arranged in pairs, with suitable spaces between adjacent pairs, the bricks of the second layer being arranged directly above corresponding bricks of the first layer. Upon the upper edges of the bricks of the second layer, the succeeding layers are piled solidly three on three throughout the unit, except for the spaces left for providing the desired arches which are designated by the numerals 18 and 19. The portion of the unit pile or the pier between the arches 18 and 19 is four brick-lengths long, and each of the end portions of the unit pile is two brick-lengths in extent longitudinally of the pile and thus constitutes a half of a pier. The unit pile of Fig. 1 is four bricklengths in width, the several tiers of bricks being preferably arranged inthe same manner 'as is indicated for the outside tier as shown in elevation in Fig. 1.

rlhe first four layers of bricks on top ofthe bottom two spaced layers are arranged regularly three on three. The next higher layer, however, is varied by placing the bricks 20 in position to `jut out over the tunnels and spaces 18 and 19, so that the bricks 21 of the next higher layer are capable of completely closing the tops of tunnels 18 and 19. The top twolayers of bricks are laid solidly three on three throughout Athe entire length of the unit pile. rl`he loose bricks 22 are supplied at the sides of the tunnel to till the grip between the traces of the fork so that the bricks 23 may be picked up, the bricks 22 being preferably removed by a workman when the unit pile has been placed in position on the floor of a kiln.

l have found in practice that with a unit pile of bricks arranged as shown in Fig. 1, a. fork 24 of approved form now in use is capable of lifting the unit pile bodily and placing it in position on the floor of a kiln without disturbing the arched tunnels 18 and 19 of the unit pile, the fact that there are only eleven of the spaced supporting portions at the bottom of the pile instead of thirteen having no effect upon the operation of the fork. f

The fork 24, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, is supported by links 25 Vfrom a turn-table 26 supported by anti-friction bearings from a circular plate 27 which is adapted to be connected by any suitable means with a crane by which the fork and its load can be lifted and carried to any part of the kiln in connection with which the fork is to be nsed.

rihe fork comprises a plurality of tines or arms 28 projecting from a bottom cross bar 29, each of the tines 28 being provided with a plurality of adjustable gripping plates -30 which are adapted to be closed together iirmly upon the outer faces of a pair of bricks 31, as is best shown in Fig. 3, the grip upon a series of spaced pairs of bricks such as are illustrated at the vbottom of the unit pile in Fig. 1 being s ch as to support the remaining bricks of the pile therefrom. Means is provided for releasing the gripping plates 30 from the spaced pairs of bricks so as to permit the fork 24 to be slid out of contact with the unit pile when the. pile has been placed in position as desired.

As is well understood in the art, when the green bricks from the brick machine have been placed in unit piles upon cars 15 such as that shown in Fig. 1, the cars with the unit piles thereon are pushed-into one end of a drying shed where the bricks are given the Vbrick lengths.

desired drying treatment preparatory to their transfer to the kiln for burning. After a suitable drying has been effected, the cars are taken with their loads to a point adjacent to the kiln, and the unit piles are picked up by the setting fork 24 one at a time and placed in position in the kiln for burning.

In Fig. 4 l have indicated a plurality of unit piles as placed in position at each side of the kiln, one section of which is shown in said ligure. In Fig. 4 are shown a. con` siderable number of unit piles containing tunnels such as the pile illustrated in Fig. l. It will be understood that the tunnelled unit piles 32 at the outside face of the kiln will be placed in position lirst, the fork 24 being preferably withdrawn from the unit piles by movement toward the center of the kiln.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 4, four unit piles are placed in position one after another, with the arched tunnels 33l of one pile in alignment with the arched tunnels 33 of the adjacent pile. After the piles are arranged along one side of the kiln four deep as illustrated, a like arrangementI of unit piles 34 is placed in position at the opposite side of the kiln, such unit piles being also arranged four deep fromthe outer face of the kiln toward the center, with the arched tunnels 35 in alignment. inasmuch as it would be impossible to slide the fork out of engagement with the unit piles if an attempt should be made to continue the placing of the piles in the manner just described, I employ a` different expedient for providing the arched tunnels at the center of the kiln. l/Vhen this stage is reached l hack on the carsl solid unit piles 36 of the same width as the widthV of the unit piles first deseribed,namely, four rllhe solid piles 36 are set by means of the same fork or setting device successively in position in alignment with the piers at either side, and with spaces therebetween corresponding to and registering with the tunnel spaces of substantially one brick length in span so that the completed. tunnels extend continuously across the kiln. At the end of the kiln, I place a solid unit pile 37,having a width of two brick-lengths to correspond to the size of the end portions of the unit piles adjacent thereto. j

In Fig. 5 l have illustrated a. solid unit pile 38, a portion of a similar solid unit pile 39 arranged adjacent to the pile 38 but separated therefrom by a space one brick-length in width, and a third solid unit pile 40 arranged on the opposite side of the pile 38 and similarlv spaced therefrom.

rlhe space between the piles 38 and 39 is indicated by the numeral 41 and the space between the piles 38 and 40 is indicated by the numeral 42. The piles 38, 39 and 40 are representative of any three of the piles 35 of the arrangement shown in Fig. 4.

The above kmethod of piling, that is, from the sides inwardly, and then longitudinally down the center, is particularly suitable for use with an overhead crane travelling longitudinally of the kiln floor for setting the piles or fork-frills of brick. Since the movement of the crane is confined to the space between the overhead rails, which are. placed on the posts or columns 50-5l, which are positioned along either side of the door, and it is desired .to utilize the space to the fullest extent, space for withdrawing the forks from the piles at either side may be left in the center, which space is lilled by piles deposited transversely and from which the fork is withdrawn longitudinally. Obviously, the transkverse piles could be put in at one side instead of in the center, withoutV departing from the spirit of the invention, or if the withdrawal space for the forks is provided for in, another manner, or is not requiredto be filled, the entire bottom layer of the clamp of bricks in the kiln may be set like the piles 32 and 34.

After the unit piles 38, 39 and 40 have been arranged in spaced relation as described, the edge bricks of the top layer at each side of the space between the unit piles are rearranged so as to jut out beyond the faces of the piles over the spaces between the piles, such jutting-out bricks* being' indicated in Fig. 5 by the numeral 43,-all of the bricks along the space 4lV having been repositioned for partially closing the top of the space 4l n in said Fig. 5 to support the bottom bricks of the next courses and to prevent the same from falling through into the tunnel. Gnly a por tion of bricks 43 have been repositioned along the space 42, however, between the unit piles 38 and 40. ln the preferred practice of my invention, when the bricks 43 are slid outwardly to ut over the spaces between the piles, additional bricks 44 are inserted inV Vthe spaces left vacant so ast-o keep the top faces of the unit piles substantially flat and even.

After the unit piles 32, 34, 36 and 37 have been placed in position as illustrated and as above described, with the arched tunnels 33 and 35 in alignment with each other and with thespaces between the unit piles 36 also in Valignment with the tunnels 33 and 35, and with the bricks 43 repositioned manually for partially closing the upper ends of the spaces between the unit piles 36, a solid layer of solid oruntunneledunitpiles45 is then placed in position, such unit piles bei g arranged in any desired suitable manner, the only requirement being that j the piles be so arranged that, the b-ricks'shall extend lengthwise across the partially closed spaces between the unit piles 36 and 37 for preventing the bricks from falling out of position into such spaces. Afterl the layer of unit piles 45 is placed in position, a third layer and any desired number of additionallayers are.

placed in position one upon another as is well understood i the art, such unit piles being indicated by the numeral lo in Figs. el and 5.

v"illhile l have described each layer of unit piles as being ccmgleted in succession before the next higher layer started, it will be understood that this has been merely for clearness of illustration. ln practice the work on the several layers of the pile would ordinarily be carried on at the same time in receding terraces to suit the convenience of the workmen.

ln Fig. 7 l have shown alternative method of placing the unit piles in position. ln this arrangement, a continuous row of solid unit ailes All? are placed in position end to end transversely of the kiln. A similar' row of solid unit piles e8 are then placed in position with a space 49 between the rows corresponding to the spaces ll and l2 of 5. Succeeding rows of solid unit piles 50 are then placed in positionwith a space 5l etween each two rows. The spaces e9 and 5l extend clear across the kiln, being employed in lieu of the archesbefore described comprising the arched tunnels 33 and 35 and the partially closed spaces il and a2. rl`he bricks of the top layer at opposite sides of the spaces i9 and 5l are then to be slid outwardly so as to extend a short distance over the spaces in the manner described in connection with the bricks e3 of F ig. 5. The neXt higher layer of unit piles can then be placed in position in precisely the same manner as is described above in connection with the arrangement shown in Figs. 5 and 6. `While l prefer to employ the method as outlined in connection with Fig. 4 employing the two eXpedients for forming the transversely extending arched tunnels, I do not wish to limit myself to the use of the two methods of forming such arches as distinguished from using either ofv the methods exclusively to the extent that either of such methods is available for effective use by itself for attaining the desired result.

Prior to my invention the practice has been to make the arches two brick lengths in width, which has necessitated starting the jutting of the bricks at the fifth course. By my ine vention the jutting is only at the seventh or last course, and requires less labor and fewer extra bricks.V rlhe setting and burning is also more uniform than with the old practice with the wider arches, where it is customary to provide twenty-five arches for each million of brick. Now l use about thirty arches for cach million of brick and obtain greater economy in labor wit-h much greater speed of construction, and obtain much better results in the finished product. For example, it was previously necessary in setting the arches for the workmen to handle about four thousand bricks to the arch, while by my invention it is only necessary to handle about one hundred bricks for cach arch. The burning has been reduced from about 76 hours to about 48 hours because the heat penetrates through the kiln much faster.

yllhe kiln of bricks produced by my method has arches extending therethrough from one side to the other. Aft-er the usual sheathing with burned brick and scoving, or smearing with clay or brick-dust mixed with water to close the interstices between the brick at the surfaces to form substantially A tight outer walls. as is well understood in the prior art, the kiln is burned by firing the arches from both ends. rlhis may be accomplished with any suitable fuel, but I prefer to employ oil burners using steam or compressed air Jfor the necessary atomization and to force the fire into the arches to the center of the kiln and to fill the arches with lire from end to end.-

l have found, as stated above, that with the narrower arches l can burn the brick at the lowest portion of the kiln more rapidly and thoroughly with less fuel. This is mainly for two reasons; first, because my process of stacking provides tunnels or arches which are closer together and the penetrating distance through the walls of the arches is decreased, and, second, because by the use of narrower arches the ratio of surface to volume of the arches or tunnels is very greatly increased. This can be more appreciated when it is considered that there are many more outlets in the spaces between the bricks in proportion to the amount of llame in my narrower arches than in the wide arches of the prior art. Also, it is easier to fill the arches with fire than was previously possible, and this can be done with less overburning and slagging of the bricks in the arches than has heretofore been possible. Although my invention is more especially intended for use in the production of common bricks, it is also adaptable for making bricks of a higher grade. ln the kilns of present construction in common use, the tunnels or arches are two brick lengths in width. The air space of these tunnels is so great as to retard the burning of the bricks, and causes checking or cracking of the bottom layers of the arches resulting in a loss of about 25%. By using arches or tunnels of one brick length in width, that is, of comparatively small volume, the loss due to checking or cracking is reduced to about 2% and the time required for properly burning a kiln is reduced from an average of 80 hours, under the presentvpractice, to an average of hours under my method of constructing the kiln and burning.

The use of comparatively small tunnels or arches also has the great advantage of rendering possible the use ofk gas fuel in burning of the kiln, which is not practical in kilns of ordinary construction using the tunnels of what may be considered the present standard widl h, that is, two brick lengths in width.

By having the comparatively small tunnels disposed comparatively close together, complete burning of the bricks at the outer sides of the piers between the tunnels, that is, adjacent the nozzles at the ends of the tunnels, is obtained. This is not possible when employing kilns of present construction using wide tunnels. l thus eliminate loss from this cause which, under present practice, is a seri ous iter l/Vhile l prefer, in general, to employ the arrangements as above described, it will be understood that l do not desire to be limited to the details of the method as described eX- cept so far as l may be limited by the claims, inasmuch as it is evident that departures might well be made from the practice as above described without departing from the spirit of my invention.

l claim l. A stack of unburned bricks ten bricklengths long piled edgewise mainly three on three in crossing layers having two transverse arches a brick length in width separated by a pier four brick-lengths in thickness and having a half pier at each end, the pier being supported on live groups of pick-up bricks piled two high and two wide in parallelism and the half piers being supportedV each on three similar groups of pick-up bricks.

2. A tunnelled pile of unburned bricks adapted to be lifted by a fork comprising a bottom layer two-deep of pick-up bricks and layers of bricks set three on three above the pick-up bricks to define two arches with -a pier between them and ahalf pier on the outside of each arch, some of the pick-up bricks extending into the arches and being removable after the pile is set into the kiln.

3. A tunnelled pile of unburned bricks comprising two transverse arches separated by a pier and having a half pier on the outside of each arch, the pier being supported on five groups of pick-up bricks, the half piers-being supported each on two and'onehalf groups of pick up bricks, additional bricks being provided to complete the half j groups of pick-up bricks to make full groups to fill the space between the tines of a lifting fork. 1

Ll. An open clamp kiln of unburned bricks Y having transverse firing arches therein open at both ends, -said arches being a single bricklength in width and separated by piers substantially four brick-lengths in width, the arches communicating with the top of the kiln only through interstices between the bricks.

5. A method of burning brick, consisting in arranging the unburned brick in a kiln comprising a plurality of comparatively narrow tunnels of substantially imiform height and of a width substantially one brick length, and then injecting burning Huid fuel into the tunnelsto ll the same with lire from end to end. Y

6. An open clamp kiln of unburned brick comprising transverse tunnels of substantially uniform width and height, and piers between the tunnels, the ratio of the width of the respective piers to the respective tunnels being approximately four to one.

l7. An open clamp kiln of unburned brick comprising a series of transverse tunnels of substantially uniform width and height, and piers between the tunnels, all of said tunnels being one brick length in width and the piers between said tunnels being four brick lengths in width.

8. An open clamp kiln of unburned brick comprising transverse tunnels, allV of which are of substantially one brick length in width and of substantially uniform height, the bricks of one course only being jutted out to Y partially close the respective tunnels at the top thereof, and a course of brick-s superimposed upon the jutted out bricks and closing the spaces therebetween.

9. A method of burning bricks, consisting in arranging the brick in an open clamp kiln comprising` a plurality of transverse tunnels of substantially one brick length in width, and then injecting burning fuel `into the tunnels.

l0. A method of burning bricks, consisting in arranging the brick in an open clamp kiln comprising a plurality of substantially parallel transverse tunnels of substantially one brick length in width and of substantially uniform height, and then injecting burning fuel in liquid form into the tunnels.

ll. A method of burning bricks', consisting in arranging the brick in an open clamp kiln comprisingv a plurality of substantially parallel transverse tunnels of substantially one brick length in width, and then injecting burning fuel in fluid form into the tunnels from the opposite ends thereof, and substanally filling the arch with fire of said burning iel.

122 An open clamp kiln of unburned bricks 

